Stephanie Marie Seferian's Blog, page 8

House Rules

When it comes to furnishing and styling ours homes, we all deserve spaces that facilitate easeful living. But for those of us without an eye for design? Furniture and decor mistakes can happen (and they can be costly).

On today’s show best-selling author Myquillyn Smith reveals her signature house rules for homes of every size, style, and budget; she shows also shows us how to get the most amount of comfort from our space with the least amount of stuff.

 

Here’s a preview of the house rules we a...

Family Dinner

Eating meals together is the ultimate parenting cheat code, and that’s because in just one hour you can improve your kids’ academic performance, self-esteem, and cardiovascular health while simultaneously reducing their risks of substance misuse, depression, and obesity.

On today’s show: author Annette Thurmon on making the kitchen the heart of the home once again.

 

Here’s a preview:

[7:30] A laundry list of the nutritional benefits of regular family dinners, plus the developmental and mental h...

3 Acts

Today’s show is a series of 3 very diverse updates straight from developments in my own life: The first is about self-sufficiency, the second is sustainability-focused, and the final act dedicates itself to intentional living.

Here’s a preview:

[3:00] Act 1: The hydroponic growing hype. (Stephanie’s good, bad, and ugly experiences with her new grow tower)

[16:00] Act 2: Electrify Everything? (Our boiler is leaking. Here’s where we are at with regard to heat pumps: costs, struggles, etc.)

[28:00]...

Excessively Convenient

There’s convenience, and then there’s *excessive* convenience. While some modern conveniences are indeed necessary and needed, the excessive ones can be detrimental to ourselves and society as a whole.

Items and services of convenience are often substitutes for supportive culture and connection. On today’s show historian Jennifer Newton and I discuss how culture – and specifically excessively convenient, disposable culture – perpetuates itself; we also muse on what to do if the prevailing cultur...

Athleisure

Yoga pants, baby! Athleisure is a fashion trend that features comfortable, flattering, and aesthetically pleasing athletic clothing designed to be worn all day. And while many of us turned to athleisure during the pandemic and never went back, athleisure has a dirty little secret: petroleum-based fibers.

On today’s show former Athleta senior fashion designer Nancy Taylor outlines what needs to happen systemically to make the the fashion industry circular; she also introduces bio-based textile in...

No Topsoils, No Food

Soil grows 95 percent of our food and sustains human life. But monocrops, pesticide reliance, and other modern farming methods have degraded soil health in lasting ways. Some scientists believe we have less than 60 harvests left.

The way we are feeding ourselves is undermining the very ecology we’re dependent upon. The hope? Regenerative farming. On today’s show Kiss The Ground’s Chief Executive Officer Evan Harrison urges each of us to participate in the regenerative movement.

 

Here’s a previe...

Vital Simplicity

“From the cradle to the grave … the [wo]man of modern times struggles through a maze of endless complication.”

Although Charles Wagner penned these words over 125 years ago, they are more true today than ever before. On today’s show author Suzanne Johnson modernizes Wagner’s tenets of simple living for twenty-first century living.

 

Here’s a preview of the Wagner-isms we are revisiting today:

[7:30] We suffer the consequences of a too artificial life

[11:30] The more goods a woman has, the more ...

Sustainable Seafood?

Billions of people worldwide rely on seafood for nutrition and economic livelihood, but 90 percent of fish populations are currently overfished.

Your seafood choices matter, and buying responsibly is one of the most important ways you can contribute to healthier oceans. On today’s show: breaking down exactly how to be an informed seafood consumer.

Here’s a preview:

[3:00] Everything you need to know about that wild-caught fish

[14:00]  Dirty little secrets from fish farms

[21:00] … But which is ...

Unpaid Labor And Gendered Work

Reminder to my fellow moms: You don’t have to do it all.

Studies have shown for decades that women in heterosexual partnerships are responsible for the “invisible labor” at home. Not surprisingly, carrying the lion’s share of the burden has oversized impacts on women’s mental health.

The solution sounds simple: Divvying up domestic responsibilities decreases resentment and increases family cohesion. But how do we best encourage our partners and children to participate in the work of the home for...

Ho To Stop Playing Catch up On Weekends

Weekends *should be* for resting, exploring, and participating in beloved hobbies. Yet for so many of us, our weekends are bogged down with housework. Errands too.

On today’s show Tyler Moore explains his system for centering his weekends — and his life — around what’s most important.

 

Here’s a preview:

[6:00] Be efficient about it: The order in which you perform household tasks matters!

[9:00] Mondays are for bathrooms! 3 benefits to maintaining a weekday cleaning routine

[18:00] Is it really ...